Divisional Work Session Report

The goal of the Common Ground Forum was to create a 10-year strategic plan to guide the future of Idaho’s education system. All stakeholders of the Idaho Education Coalition were represented and teamed together in large and small groups to brainstorm, discuss, and identify commonalities that would create a single, clear voice representing the needs and direction of education in this state—particularly in dealing with the Idaho State Legislature.

In this first step, 22 superintendents representing all six regions were involved in the process. The ISSA Board felt the next critical step would be to communicate and discuss the Forum’s findings in each region’s next official meeting; hopefully, to begin forming a consensus on what all superintendents believe to be the most pressing priorities in public education.

In our September 12, 2008 ISSA Board of Director’s meeting, we will ask all region representatives to report on their list of priorities stemming from their review and discussion of the Common Ground Forum’s results. From that meeting, the ISSA hopes to create a draft list of priorities representing our division’s needs as we work collaboratively with the IASA and the Idaho Education Coalition in accomplishing this unparalleled task.

The following is a condensed list of Forum priorities discussed, and also those superintendents believed critical “musts” and “Important Items” to be included in this 10-year strategic plan. In your region meetings, superintendents that attended the Forum can provide the needed details necessary to fully understand this list of priorities.

Items Discussed:

Early Childhood Education                           Leadership Preparation & Training

Workforce Development                              Family & Citizen Engagement

Career Choices                                            After-School Opportunities

Fair Funding                                                Comprehensive Services

Data Warehousing                                        Health Care Plan

Teacher Quality: Attract & Retain                 Home School Accountability

PTE                                                            NCLB

ELL                                                             IDEA

ISSA Musts:

·        Funding Formula Enhancement

·        Educator/Education Support Staff Index Enhancement

·        Contribution-Based Pay (Merit or Performance Based Pay)

·        Operational Fund Enhancement (Discretionary Monies)

·        Kindergarten (Statutory)

·        Secondary Divisor for 6^th Grade (MS) Placement

ISSA Important Items:

·        Health Care Plan (State Plan?)

·        Facilities

o       Bond Passage %

o       HB743

o       State Participation (Matching)

o       SDE Safety Costs

·        Highly Qualified Teachers & Administrators

·        Early Childhood

·        Home School Accountability

·        PTE

·        Statewide Data System

·        ELL

·        NCLB Overhaul

·        IDEA Overhaul